Buletin Kesihatan Mental Persatuan Kesihatan Mental Malaysia PATRON: TOH PUAN DATO' SERI HJH. DR. AISHAH ONG
December 2009 (4/09)	KDN PP/5342/10/2010 (0257656)

Recovery From Mental Illness Talks By Hougang Care Centre, Singapore
MMHA organized a talk on psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery from mental illness on 21 November, 2009 at the Institute for Health Management, Kuala Lumpur. Three speakers from the Hougang Care Centre (HCC), Singapore presented their talks with Dr. Sally Thio giving an overview of recovery in mental illness, while Mr. Yew Kim Nguang stressed the importance of the family's role in supporting the process ofrecovery. The last speaker, Ms. Irene Sng shared with the audience the experience of Supported Employment in Singapore. A group ofabout 70 people attended the talks.

 

 
X World Congress of World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR), Bangalore, 12-15 November, 2009
Pn. Nurhijjah Mat Zin (MHRO) and Harp Singh (Rehab Subcommittee Chairman) attended the above conference. It was held at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NlMHANS) in Bangalore. NlMHANS is recognized as the premier institute in the field of psychiatry not only in India but across the globe. The conference was attended by delegates from all over the world. Notable speakers at the conference included Paul Liberman (the "Father of Psychosocial Rehabilitation"), Drs Frank Holloway and Peter Tyrer from the UK, and Dr Wolfgang Krahl who was responsible for setting up the rehabilitation programme at Hospital Bahagia in the 1980s. Notable presenters from Malaysia included Dr M P Deva and Dr Hazlin Lockman.

Topics covered included all aspects of Psychosocial Rehabilitation (or PSR),
with a strong emphasis on evidence-based therapies e.g. lllness Management and Recovery (IMR), Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Family Psychoeducation, Supported Employment, etc. The presentations from the Indian NGOs were particularly inspiring because they showed what can be done with limited resources in areas with a high poverty and unemployment rates.

Both Pn. Nurhijjah and Harp felt privileged to have been able to attend an extremely enlightening conference and will endeavour to use what they have learnt to improve the services provided by MMHA.

MMHA would like to thank the sponsors for making this trip possible.
 

 
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Training in Johor and Singapore
Alwin Mah (MHRO) joined other mental health professionals from public hospitals to attend the Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) Workshop from 15 to 17 August 2009 organized by Hospital Permai, Johor Bahru. Dr. Ahmad Rasidi Bin M. Saring, senior consultant psychiatrist from Hospital Alor Setar, Ms. Sharon Tan and Ms Rohaida, psychiatric rehabilitation practitioners from Institute of Mental Health, Singapore provided training in psychiatric rehabilitation, IMR and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

After the workshop, Alwin proceeded to Simei Care Centre (SCC), Singapore for a 2-week attachment in psychiatric rehabilitation training. During the attachment, he was given the opportunity to participate in various psychosocial programmes conducted by rehabilitation counselors at SCC. He also followed SCC staff to visit clients' houses under the Supported Housing scheme, a service providing housing for people with mental illness. Alwin also paid a visit to Hougang Care Centre (HCC) to learn about the Club House Model ofpsychiatric rehabilitation.